During the October iPad Pro event in Brooklyn, New York, Apple briefly showed off an upcoming version of djay by Algoriddim. Today, djay 3.0 was released on the App Store as a universal app that’s free to download with premium features available as a subscription.
Previously, Algoriddim offered free and paid iPhone apps as well as separate paid iPad apps. Add-ons like audio effects and skins were available separately as In-App Purchases. Algoriddim also offered a video mixing app called vjay. Today’s launch of version 3.0 consolidates all of those apps into one with a simplified pricing model.
Algoriddim launched djay Pro for iPad today, the latest version of their award-winning DJ software for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The new version (which I played around with over the past couple of days) has been built with the iPad Pro in mind, with tons of design changes and new features for the new platform.
From the app’s product page:
At the heart of djay Pro is an innovative, modern user interface that provides flexible layers of functionality. It features advanced performance modes including horizontal and vertical colored waveforms, live sampler and drum pads, FX racks, a video mixer, as well as a powerful four deck view that allows you to play, mix, slice, and synchronize up to four tracks simultaneously.
And:
The sheer performance of iPad Pro enables a host of new features that were previously impossible on a mobile device, including mixing of up to 4 audio tracks, plus two simultaneous 4K video streams, all rendered in pristine sound quality and with brilliant video output in full HD, at 60 frames per second. djay Pro combines rock-solid stability with unrivalled performance, delivering a powerful, dependable solution for performing DJs and VJs.
What Algoriddim has done with djay over the years has always been impressive, but this time they’ve gone far beyond what I’ve seen in any other music app for iPad.
The interface has been completely revamped to take advantage of the bigger screen, so it’s not just another scaled up app without a deeper consideration of what the larger canvas enables. The hardware of the iPad Pro is used throughout the app with tangible benefits: scrubbing through 4K video streams is silky smooth, as is mixing audio tracks, applying effects, and rendering the final product. If you use an external keyboard, djay offers an insane Discoverability menu with pages of keyboard shortcuts – the first time I’ve seen a paginated layout in the cheat sheet. The list goes on (and you should check out the website for more details), but I want to mention one feature: with its Music integration, djay has rolled out multitasking support for music playback before Apple’s own Music app.
A few weeks ago, there was a lot of talk about the lack of pro software for the iPad Pro. djay Pro is a great example of how developers who know their audience can rebuild their apps from the ground up with the iPad Pro in mind, catering to a new category of users – those who want power and the portability of an iPad. I believe djay Pro shows the way for more kinds of professional software to come to the App Store in the future. I want to see more developers follow Algoriddim’s approach and build iPad-first software that’s just as powerful as desktop counterparts – if not more powerful thanks to iOS. It’s possible.
Popular DJ app djay (which I covered numerous times on MacStories in the past) has announced today an Apple Watch counterpart that will bring a slimmed down interface with controls and music selection to the wrist.
On Apple Watch, djay will allow users to import tracks stored in the iPhone’s Music app, automix songs from a connected Spotify account, and even apply effects and loops with a simplified UI and a subset of the controls available in the iPhone app.
Since its first release in late 2010, Algoriddim’s djay was always met with the same question: without the right songs on your iPad, how can you fully enjoy the app? Three years and numerous awards later (including an Apple Design Award in 2011), Algoriddim wants to tear down the barrier to entry for its popular DJ software with a simple, yet technologically complex solution: full Spotify integration.
For those of you who are DJs or just enjoy listening and mixing music, the latest version of Algoriddim’s Mac App ‘djay’ might interest you. Now at version 4.0, Algoriddim is claiming that this is the biggest update to the app yet. The big headline new feature is ‘Harmonic Match’ a new system that allows users to “create perfectly matched mixes with a simple click”.
With the introduction of Harmonic Match, djay automatically detects a song’s key and allows to match it to songs of the same key within your iTunes music library. It allows you transpose songs into different keys, and even sort your entire music library by key, perfect for creating studio quality mash-ups of your songs.
Beyond Harmonic Match, djay 4.0 also features a new audio engine that allows high quality Audio FX on the fly, precision scratching, visual waveforms and a host of other more advanced features. A particularly useful new feature in djay 4.0 is the support for iCloud, which means cue data and other metadata can by synced across the Mac, iPad and iPhone versions of the app. Another nice touch is support for the multi-touch trackpad where a user can “use rotate gestures to adjust the EQ, or two fingers to scratch the record and operate the crossfader”.
djay for the Mac is available on the Mac App Store for a special launch sale price of $19.99. Jump the break for a promotional video, as well as a full list of additions and improvements in djay 4.0. Read more
There’s no way we could deny the opportunity to give away a few copies of djay having gotten up close and personal with all those sexy pixels, which were recognized by the top dogs at Apple before they handed out the all-to-well-known Apple Design Award to Algoriddim. It doesn’t surprise us that such talent didn’t go unrewarded: turntables come alive with artist artwork, finger friendly equalizers can be easily adjusted, and let’s not forget the terrific automix mode for the amateur DJs in the house. Apple chose djay for its utilization of Core Audio, which helps the app pump out pristine sound at “ultra-low latencies”, and if cables aren’t your thing then AirPlay can get you set up with your preferred AV receiver. Taking advantage of the iPad 2’s A5 processor, djay for the iPad hums along as you scratch tracks, record your own sessions, and pull DRM free songs from your library with just a flick of the finger. To celebrate on their achievement, djay is on sale for $9.99 (normally $19.99) in the App Store for a limited time, so get it while it’s hot!
We’re also giving away three copies of this Apple approved app past the break - we wouldn’t want you to miss out on one of the biggest apps of this year.
djay, the excellent app for iPhone and iPad we reviewed back in December when it first came out on the tablet, received a major update today to include exclusive functionalities for the iPad 2 and its A5 dual-core processor. After the release of a “mini” iPhone version that yet managed to include most of the features found in the iPad counterpart, algoriddim pushed an update earlier today to fully optimize performances for the iPad 2, enable higher precision audio analysis and implement a number of new features as well.
Key Lock / Time-Stretching: change the tempo of a song without affecting its pitch (requires iPad 2)
High-Precision audio analysis: improves syncing, BPM detection, beat-grid, and waveform precision (requires iPad 2, enable in Settings > Advanced)
Loop / Cue snapping: auto-aligned to closest snare, base drum etc. (requires iPad 2)
Let’s cut to the chase: djay is polished, good-looking, and a downright handsome virtual mixer that’ll have you scratching virtual vinyls like it was made all tiny for your thumbs and stuff. You’d think djay’s miniature client for the iPhone & iPod touch would be too small to get a proper remix of your favorite rap attack and guitar jam, but that little iPhone can instantly become the party superhero when equipped with an amateur DJ such as yourself and some stereo output to the nearest boom box. Choose any two tracks from your iPod’s library, adjust the equalizer to your liking, pump the gain, and position the needles to start laying down Scratch n’ Sniff quality beats. It’ll take some practice to get good, but all of the tools are available with a quick tap to help you combine tracks, and there’s even an automixer if you want to let djay do some the hard stuff. I couldn’t resist buying my own copy of djay for $0.99 in the App Store, currently on sale from $4.99. That’s a steal, but you can risk it all on one of two copies we’re giving away past the break.
What would you spin with mobile DJ software that integrates directly with your iPhone or iPod music library? Scratch vinyls and interleave music with djay, your personal pocket mixer which loops tracks, fades music, and records live performance right from the palm of your hand. With nothing but a thumb or a free finger, you have precise controls over all of your music thanks to landscape and portrait orientation toggles which give you unhindered access to EQ and Automix controls. Let djay take over your playlist or pre-cue tracks thanks to the polished interface, scrub tracks, and pipe your tunes over Airplay for the ultimate in wireless beats. For only $9.99 in the App Store, it’s like having your own personal studio right in your pocket. Don’t forget about the iPad version, perfect your latest iPad 2 at only $19.99. You can also taste tracks with the Mac thanks to the version found in the Mac App Store, which can be accompanied by a wireless remote for BBQ and scratch synching. We’ve taken a look at the iPad and iPhone versions of djay previously, and we guys could get your groove on with the iPhone version. Past the break, we’re giving away two copies so you can jam wherever your travels take you.
